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GENERAL GEORGE PATTON'S CHRISTMAS PRAYER 8 DECEMBER 1944
GENERAL GEORGE PATTON'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE ^ | 8 December 1944 | General George S. Patton, Jr.

Posted on 12/05/2002 7:37:12 PM PST by CreekerFreeper

GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, JR.'S PRAYER Below is the famous "Patton Prayer" and Christmas greeting sent to the men of the Third Army December 8, 1944:

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen."


TOPICS: Announcements; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: 3rdarmy; andyrooney; christianity; christmas; civilization; culture; europe; generalpatton; georgespatton; history; holiday; jameshoneill; military; patton; pattonsprayer; pattonsweatherprayer; prayer; thirdarmy; weatherprayer; worldwareleven; worldwarii; wwii
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon
My bet is when the time comes, they like their fathers and grandfathers, will kick ass, kill people, and break things.

LOL!
I've guess I've watched too many M*A*S*H reruns and became depressed.
You've cheered me right up! :o)

21 posted on 12/05/2002 8:53:13 PM PST by eddie willers
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To: Long Cut
I know Long Cut.

I was in the NG when Clinton became President. It killed me to not be able to use my "free speech" when the subject of the Commande in Chief came up.
22 posted on 12/05/2002 8:53:15 PM PST by SAMWolf
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To: eddie willers
"So far."

And far, far beyond. More men (and women, it must be said) of Honor, Courage, and Commitment exist today, and freely offer themselves up to the cause of freedom and liberty, than the media will EVER deign to report OR venerate.

Far more profitable, for those who shape the thoughts of the masses, to extol such luminaries as Britney Spears and Eminem.

23 posted on 12/05/2002 8:53:40 PM PST by Long Cut
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To: CreekerFreeper
an amazing time in our history. Thanks for the post. Thanks for the ping, Sam.
24 posted on 12/05/2002 9:00:45 PM PST by MistyCA
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To: SAMWolf
OOps....meant to ping you to that, Sam. Thanks for the ping. :)
25 posted on 12/05/2002 9:02:08 PM PST by MistyCA
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To: TLI
Speaking of the times we live in, a leader like George in todays "Modern Military" would be kicked out on his ear.

Of course, Patton almost WAS thrown out on his ear for being un-PC after slapping some battle-fatigue casualties in Sicily. He took the heat when called for.

Incidentally, December 8 is my birthday, and Patton's famous words of that day help make it a fine, righteous day.

26 posted on 12/05/2002 9:03:13 PM PST by KellyAdmirer
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To: bentfeather
The last one we had was the one legged General Fred (Freddie) Franks Jr. Remember the Iraq pictures of the road of death! Given a few hours and he would have been in Baghdad. His Armored Calvary group ridded us of a large number of Iraq armor – they never recovered.

See Tom Clancy's non fiction "INTO THE STORM (A Study in Command)".

27 posted on 12/05/2002 9:03:28 PM PST by RAY
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To: RAY
thanks for the info Ray
28 posted on 12/05/2002 9:05:04 PM PST by Soaring Feather
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To: Sparta
I Want ON, please.
29 posted on 12/05/2002 9:07:43 PM PST by copycat
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To: LibKill
Just got done watching Patton...and was thinking that the God of the prayer of that cleared sky so essential to air cover and its role in the saving of the 101st at Bastogne..was a prayer offered to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who is one and the same in the Lord Jesus Christ and NOT a god called Allah
30 posted on 12/05/2002 9:25:13 PM PST by joesnuffy
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To: Sparta
I might be wrong, but these interesting times still unfolding may yet show that Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld have the same mettle, courage and honor as the Pattons, MacArthurs, Eisenhowers of the glory days.
31 posted on 12/05/2002 9:39:16 PM PST by HighRoadToChina
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To: HighRoadToChina
I might be wrong, but these interesting times still unfolding may yet show that Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld have the same mettle, courage and honor as the Pattons, MacArthurs, Eisenhowers of the glory days.

Lets all follow George P. lead and ask a knowledgable religus leader to compose a prayer for a continuation of such sucesses for our Republic today.


32 posted on 12/05/2002 9:59:58 PM PST by TLI
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon
whatever they call a student at the Air Force Academy

A cadet. You must remember that the Air Force evolved out of the Army, although not a few Navy flyers made the move too, and so they generally use Army terms and traditions. Enlisted rank titles are of course different, but even today, the uniforms are very similar, except in color and the Air Force doesn't wear unit shoulder patches or quite as many devices, although they do wear command and/or unit badges on utilities and flight suits.

33 posted on 12/05/2002 10:02:58 PM PST by El Gato
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To: CreekerFreeper; FoxGirl
Here's Andy Rooney's Christmas Prayer:

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate election results and Fox News with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as the one true faith, Liberal Democrats, who call Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our Godless Republican enemies, and establish our Left leaning justice among men and nations. Amen."

Hear it the other night on Larry King.

34 posted on 12/05/2002 10:08:47 PM PST by sonofatpatcher2
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To: sonofatpatcher2
Ya forgot the hurling barf alert....

or someone could just drag him up on a stage with a Patton look-alike, lock all the doors, let the look -alike give the Patton speach , then Andy Loony could give his. Let nature take it's course.
35 posted on 12/05/2002 10:59:50 PM PST by TLI
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To: CreekerFreeper
An excerpt from General George S. Patton address to the Third Army Headquarters Staff:

I have been given command of Third Army for reasons which will become clear to you later on. ... I am here because of the confidence of two men: The President of the United States and the theater commander. They have confidence in me because they don't believe a lot of goddamned lies that have been printed about me and also because they know I mean business when I fight. I don't fight for fun and I won't tolerate anyone on my staff who does. You are here to fight. This is an active theater of war. Ahead of you lies battle. That means just one thing. You can't afford to be a goddamned fool, because, in battle, fools mean dead men. It is inevitable for men to be killed and wounded in battle. But there is no reason why such losses should be increased because of the incompetence and carelessness of some stupid son-of-a-bitch. I don't tolerate such men on my staff.

There are three reasons why we are fighting this war. The first is because we are determined to preserve our traditional liberties. Some crazy German bastards decided they were supermen and that it was their holy mission to rule the world. They've been pushing people around all over the world, looting, killing, and abusing millions of innocent men, women, and children. They were getting set to do the same thing to us. We had to fight to prevent being subjugated.

The second reason we are fighting is to defeat and wipe out the Nazis who started all this goddamned son-of-bitchery. They didn't think we could or would fight, and they weren't the only ones who thought that, either. There are certain people back home who had the same idea. Both were wrong.

The third reason we are fighting is because men like to fight. They always have and they always will. Some sophists and other crackpots deny that. They don't know what they're talking about. They are either goddamned fools or cowards, or both. Men like to fight, and if they don't they're not real men.

If you don't like to fight, I don't want you around. You'd better get out before I kick you out. But there is one thing to remember. In war, it takes more than the desire to fight to win. You've got to have more than guts to lick the enemy. You must also have brains. It takes brains and guts to win wars. A man with guts but no brains is only half a soldier. We licked the Germans in Africa and Sicily because we had brains as well as guts. We're going to lick them in Europe for the same reason.

That's all and good luck.

Patton Quotes:

• The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.

• If I do my full duty, the rest will take care of itself

•A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.

•Do more than is required of you.

•Do not fear failure.

•Do not take counsel of your fears.

•Give credit where it’s due.

•In case of doubt, attack.

•It's the unconquerable soul of man, and not the nature of the weapon he uses, that ensures victory.

•Make your plans to fit the circumstances.

•Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.

•Say what you mean and mean what you say.

•Take calculated risks.

•There is only one type of discipline, perfect discipline.

Anyone in any walk of life who is content with mediocrity is untrue to himself and the American way.

•There's a great deal of talk about loyalty from the bottom to the top. Loyalty from the top down is even more necessary and is much less prevalent. One of the most frequently noted characteristics of great men who have remained great is loyalty to their subordinates.

•You're never beaten until you admit it.

•It is only by doing things others have not that one can advance.

•God deliver us from our friends, we can handle the enemy.

•As I walk through the valley of death I fear no one, for I am the meanest mother fucker in the valley!

•A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.

•All glory is fleeting.

•A leader is a man who can adapt principles to circumstances.

•Success demands a high level of logistical and organizational competence.

•Perpetual peace is a futile dream.

•It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

•The test of success is not what you do when your on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.

•If I win I can't be stopped! If I lose I shall be dead.

•Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity

36 posted on 12/05/2002 10:59:50 PM PST by Bommer
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To: CreekerFreeper
I met a guy over Thanksgiving that is a serious collector of WWII general officer letters, jackets, and ribbon bars. He has one of Patton's swagger sticks and a jacket with ribbon bars. This is the kind of guy who has parts of his collection on loan to museums. Interesting stuff.

I'm an Army brat and "grew up" (grades 8-12) around Fort Knox. The Patton Museum of Armor is worth seeing, if you enjoy WWII military history. Recommended.
37 posted on 12/06/2002 2:36:37 AM PST by FreedomPoster
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The Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor
38 posted on 12/06/2002 2:39:26 AM PST by FreedomPoster
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To: LibKill
I am watching "Patton" (the movie) George C. Scott was reading the prayer when I saw your post.

That scene is one of the most moving and powerful juxtapositions of dialogue and visuals ever put into a movie. The only other one that even comes close (and its a distant second) is the "It's a Wonderful World" scene from Good Morning, Vietnam."

39 posted on 12/06/2002 2:40:21 AM PST by Junior
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To: CreekerFreeper
That was a real warrior. Too bad we don't have more like him today.

Although Rumsfeld comes close!

40 posted on 12/06/2002 2:40:33 AM PST by Lightnin
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